How to Find the Right Tech Consultant
Learn when you need a tech consultant, what they should do, how to find them, and how much to pay for part-time CTO/technical advisor services.
When You Need a Tech Consultant
As covered in Lesson 1, non-technical founders benefit from an independent technical advisor. You need one if:
- You're non-technical and building your first MVP
- Budget under $50K and hiring cheap developers
- No technical co-founder to validate decisions
- Want independent code review of your team's work
What They Should Do
- Review architecture and tech stack decisions
- Evaluate developer candidates (technical interviews) - see Lesson 3-1 on hiring strategies
- Code quality reviews (monthly)
- Answer your technical questions
- Give early warnings about problems
What they should NOT do: Write code, manage developers day-to-day (that's a PM or lead dev). They also help you understand which contract clauses matter most.
Time Commitment
- First month: 4-8 hours (setup, tech stack review, hire developers)
- Ongoing: 2-4 hours/month (code reviews, questions)
Cost
- Junior/Mid consultant: $80-150/hour
- Senior/Fractional CTO: $150-300/hour
- Monthly retainer: $200-800/month (2-4 hours)
Where to Find Them
- Your network - ask for referrals (best option)
- LinkedIn - search "Fractional CTO" or "Technical Advisor"
- Platforms: Toptal, Gun.io, CloudDevs
- Local tech communities - meetups, Slack groups
Red Flags
- 🚩 Wants to write code instead of advise
- 🚩 No clear deliverables or review process
- 🚩 Can't explain technical concepts in simple terms
- 🚩 Recommends expensive/complex solutions for MVP
Key Takeaways
- Hire for Advisory, Not Coding: They should review and guide, not write code
- 2-4 Hours/Month is Enough: After initial setup, minimal time needed
- $200-800/Month Budget: Affordable insurance against bad technical decisions
- Find Through Network: Referrals are best source